Nittany Sports Now can confirm that one of the best to ever do it for Penn State wrestling could end up being ineligible for the 2028 Olympics, depending on the result of his case’s appeal.
As of right now, Aaron Brooks is serving a two-year ban from competition due to a failed drug test and will be eligible to compete again in June 2027, which would give him time to reclaim his Olympic spot as 86 KG, where he won a Bronze Medal at the 2024 games in Paris.
Butas first reported by Pat Mineo of the Wrestling Room, since confirmed by Nittany Sports Now, the United States Anti Doping Agency feel’s Brooks’ ban should be longer.
Initially, Brooks had been facing a four-year ban, which got cut in half.
The USADA wants it back at four.
It was Mineo who first reported this past June that Brooks was “allegedly facing a 1-2 year suspension” due to a failed drug test.
In February, Christian Pyles of FloWrestling confirmed through Brooks’ father, John, that Brooks had been suspended for two years retroactive to June.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Per the USADA, what caused Brooks’ positive test was the use of dehydroepiandrosterone. Per Harvard Health, DHEA is “a hormone produced mainly by your adrenal glands, which are located just above the kidneys.”
The USADA prohibits the use of this substance.
Brooks’ positive test took place April 21 of last year and was the test was not related to competition. Brooks appealed to an independent arbitrator in November and claimed that his use of the banned substance took place following him being hospitalized with double pneumonia for two days.
Although Brooks claims he did research the supplement before taking it, he didn’t find out it was banned until he had been taking it for two weeks.
“Was a tough moment,” Brooks said per the hearing report. The bottle literally says DHEA, and I go to the [Prohibited] List, and it says DHEA, so I knew right away what it was.”
Brooks is one of the best to ever do it, not just at Penn State, but in college wrestling. He and teammate Carter Starocci became the first two Penn State wrestlers to win four national championships in 2024, and Brooks followed that up with a Bronze Medal in Paris five months later.
